News:
July 2013

Date: 05/07/2013

Maritime sector vital to UK economy, Under Secretary of State for Transport says during Teesport visit

Under Secretary of State for Transport, Stephen Hammond, has visited Teesport the North East based port, owned and operated by PD Ports. As well as visiting the operations on the ground, Mr Hammond took a harbour launch trip to see the port from the River Tees.

PD Ports has invested almost £17m in infrastructure improvements at Teesport in the last 18 months, which has included a new terminal operating software system to improve productivity and provide greater visibility for customers.

The container terminal facilities have also been upgraded and include the arrival of new rubber-tyred gantry cranes with GPS-assisted technology.

David Robinson, CEO of the PD Ports Group, said: “We were delighted to welcome the Under Secretary of State for Transport to Teesport. During his visit he could see for himself the vital role Teesport plays as a key economic driver in the region, as well as the benefits our customers are realising through our portcentric logistics activity.

“Teesport is well placed to make a material difference to the way companies organise their supply chain markets and we are looking to build on our existing platform to position the North East, and in particular the Tees Valley, as a leading centre for UK logistics.”

Teesport, the UK leader in portcentric logistics, is home to large import centres for ASDA, Tesco and others, as retailers take advantage of the commercial and environmental benefits accrued from locating at the port itself. Portcentric logistics reduces road miles, handling costs and helps reduce CO2 emissions.

By attracting new businesses to locate at or near Teesport or its other major port, Hartlepool, PD Ports plays a crucial role in helping both the local and regional economies grow.

Mr Hammond said: “The ports and the maritime sector are vital to the UK economy, and Teesport plays into this both nationally and regionally.”

“On Monday I saw for myself the impact the port is making. This includes its distribution centres for two of our largest supermarkets and its container handling facilities, including those carrying liquids and chemicals.

“I wish the team here every success with their plans and in building further on the port’s recent very strong performance.”